Patio-Perfect Red Wine Sangria

Looks like we are 2-0 for sunny Fridays this month! How perfect is that for my #PatioSeries?!

For this weeks post, I present the patio drink of all patio drinks: sangria. Let’s be real…I couldn’t do a #PatioSeries without my recipe for Patio-Perfect Red Wine Sangria!

I love everything about sangria:

First, there is red wine involved- enough said.

Second, there is some Triple Sec in there which gives the sangria a nice orangy and boozy kick. Typically, most sangria recipes also call for the addition of brandy. I decided to omit it in my recipe since brandy is not really my favourite flavour, and with the addition of orange juice and sparking water (also a much cheaper alternative) you still get a great tasting sangria.

Third, sangria is the perfect drink + snack combo. If you happen to get a little hungry while sipping away on your sangria, simply snack on the alcohol soaked fruit. It’s just like in university days when you added gummy bears to a vodka drink, only much healthier with the fruit 😛

Fourth, there is no need to buy an expensive bottle of red wine- you can find cheap table wines in the liquor store that will work perfectly for this recipe. After you add the fruit and liquor and let it sit for a few hours, no one will be able to taste the difference! Beforehand, I was buying “cheap” Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon for my sangria- but there is actually red wine called “Table Wine” which is much cheaper. You can find table wine typically in the “Spain/Portugal Wine” section of your liquor store.

Use a cheap bottle of table wine- this brand was $8.99 at BC Liquor Store 🙂

And finally, making sangria could not get any easier. Unlike some cocktail recipes which involve equipment like a cocktail shaker which only makes a few servings, you can just throw all the ingredients into a pitcher, give it a stir, and it’s done. Plus, the longer it sits, the better it gets! When you are ready to serve, just give the sangria a quick stir, pour into glasses and top with extra frozen berries (to keep your drink cool and to not dilute the flavour!), a sprig of mint, and a bit of sparking water to lighten it up. There is no hassle for the host so you can enjoy your time with your friends and family instead of concocting cocktails endlessly throughout the evening.

For the ultimate bonus– which i just discovered this year- if you happen to have any leftover fruit in your pitcher, you can add it on top of…wait for it…. vanilla ice cream! Yeah- you read that right…on top of vanilla ice cream. Trust me, it’s out of this world delicious and you MUST try it if you haven’t already!

I’m sure there are many more reasons to like sangria, but I hope I have convinced you to make a pitcher of it this weekend. Tell me below what you love the most about sangria and what variations you like the most! See the full recipe for my Patio-Perfect Sangria here!

Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter (@seasonserveblog) for more of my #PatioSeries posts and delicious recipes in between!